The main card of the event, which airs on Showtime, is expected to feature the semifinals of Strikeforce’s heavyweight grand prix. However, Strikeforce officials have yet to announce which bouts will occupy the night’s featured slots.

The location of the event still remains a mystery, as well.

Just 21 years old, Mein is already a seasoned veteran of the sport with 29 fights under his belt. “Young Gun” currently carries a five-fight win streak – a run that includes victories over big-show veterans Josh Burkman, Joe Riggs and Marius Zaromskis.

Mein has been fighting professionally since 2006, and while he opened his career just 3-4, he has since won 19 of his past 22 contests. Nineteen of Mein’s 22 career victories have come via stoppage, including 12 by knockout.

Meanwhile, Santos returns to action after a failed attempt at dethroning then-Strikeforce champion Nick Diaz at this past January’s “Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Cyborg” event. The menacing-looking striker – a PRIDE, Sengoku and Pancrase veteran – was previously riding a two-fight win streak that included victories over Zaromskis and Daniel Zarate.

After Jake Shields vacated Strikeforce’s middleweight belt to sign with the UFC, Souza won the title with a unanimous-decision victory over Tim Kennedy in August 2010. Then
in January, he submitted Robbie Lawler for his first successful title
defense. The former DREAM title challenger now owns a four-fight win
streak, which included Strikeforce victories over Matt Lindland and Joey
Villasenor.

Rockhold earned his title shot on the heels of a six-fight win streak;
all of the victories have come under the Strikeforce banner (and all via
stoppage). However, the American Kickboxing Academy fighter, who
defeated Jesse Taylor and Paul Bradley in his two most recent fights,
hasn’t competed since February 2010 because of injuries.

Gracie, a decorated grappler and submission specialist, looks to win for
the fifth time in as many career fights. The two-time Strikeforce
fighter has earned all four of his career MMA wins via submission, and
only Kevin Randleman lasted past the opening round.

Lawal, a former NCAA Division I All-American wrestler and Olympic
hopeful, returns to action for the first time since losing his 205-pound
title to Rafael “Feijao” Cavalcante this past August. The loss was the
first for Lawal, who opened up with seven consecutive wins as a
professional.

Blanco, meanwhile, makes his promotional debut following a run in World
Victory Road’s Sengoku event series. The former lightweight King of
Pancrase is riding six-fight win streak, which included a 4-0 mark in
2010 with wins over the likes of Rodrigo Damm and Kiuma Kunioku. They
were two of his seven career knockouts.

Thomson fights for the first time since a unanimous-decision loss to
Tatsuya Kawajiri at “DREAM Dynamite!! 2010.” Prior to the setback, the
AKA fighter had won 10 of 11 fights, most of them with Strikeforce. The
ex-champ’s lone defeat came in a title loss to Gilbert Melendez.

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